CHENNAI: The Kalai Thiruvizha (arts and cultural) festival held in State-run schools, and for the first time in aided and special schools, has now reached the block level.

For this, the School Education Department has released Rs 103 lakh.

As per the notification from the department, for classes 1-5, the block-level events will be held from October 22-24, for classes 6-8, it will be from October 15-17, and the events for classes 9 and 12 will be held from October 21-24.

For conducting the events, the department has also released funding. For 10 educational blocks in the city, the department has allotted Rs 2.50 lakh, followed by Rs 2 lakh for eight blocks in Chengalpattu, and, Rs 3.50 lakh for 14 blocks in Tiruvallur. Speaking to DT next, a government school teacher said that the events have already been completed.

“After the completion of school-level events came the quarterly exam and holidays right after. With the school reopened on October 7, the department has released the schedule for block-level events.”

The department released a set of guidelines where students have to get a consent letter from parents to participate in the competition, a male and a female teacher must accompany participants in block/district level competitions, and the score sheets for each event should be properly maintained by the teachers/organisers of the respective events.

For the first time, the Kalai Thiruvizha is being held for classes 1-12 from August 22 across Tamil Nadu.

Last year, it was held primarily for government schools, and 1,000 students were given prizes. In the state-level event last year, 16,000 students participated and 1,418 students won prizes.